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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28243032">Candy Cane Candle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samunderthelights/pseuds/Samunderthelights'>Samunderthelights</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Harry Potter Short Stories : 2017 - 2020 [32]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Christmas, Don't copy to another site, Falling In Love, Grief/Mourning, Hopeful Ending, Light Angst, M/M, Moving On, Past Fleur Delacour/Bill Weasley, Past Remus Lupin/Nymphadora Tonks, Rare Pairings, rarepair_shorts's Festive Fun Fest 2020</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 17:54:19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,056</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28243032</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samunderthelights/pseuds/Samunderthelights</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>“What do you think they would say if they knew?”</i>
</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin/Bill Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Harry Potter Short Stories : 2017 - 2020 [32]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2043835</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Rare Pair Shorts Festive Fun Fest 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Candy Cane Candle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Written for <a href="https://rarepair-shorts.dreamwidth.org/">Festive Fun Fest 2020</a>, using the prompt 'Candles'.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  
</p><p>
  <strong>
    <em>Last year</em>
  </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>“What are you doing here by yourself?” Bill asks, when he finds Remus lying in the middle of the room, surrounded by lit candles. “Are you alright?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Just remembering,” Remus sighs, his eyes still closed. But when he hears Bill’s footsteps coming towards him, he looks up. “Dora used to love these.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“They smell like…”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Christmas.” Remus smiles to himself, as the smell of gingerbread, pine trees, and mulled wine surrounds them. “I was just thinking of her.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>After they had both lost their wives during the Battle, the two men had moved in together, hoping they would be able to bring each other comfort. But their shared pain had only made the house quiet, and dark most days.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Mind if I join you?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Not at all,” Remus says, as he makes room for Bill to lie down with him. “Close your eyes.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bill does as he is told, and right away, the scent of spiced apples washes over him, bringing a smile to his face, as he remembers his last Christmas with Fleur.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For a moment, it fills him with joy. For a moment he feels whole again. But when he opens his eyes, and he finds her gone, Remus watching him with a pained look on his face, he struggles to hold back the tears.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“What do you think they would say if they knew?”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I know what Dora would say,” Remus sighs, as he gently runs a finger over the inside of Bill’s palm. “She would tell me to get over myself. To move on and grab life by the… well, you know what I mean.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Bill smiles to himself, as he looks down at the other man’s finger, which is lingering on his skin.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I’m not sure Fleur would say the same.” He smiles, but it’s a heartbroken smile, and when Remus sees the pain in his eyes, he moves away from him and he sits up.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“I never meant for this to happen,” he tries, but Bill closes his eyes again, Christmas memories flashing before his eyes. “I’m sorry.”</em>
</p><p>
  <em>“So am I.”</em>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <strong>This year</strong>
</p><p>Bill had almost moved out of their shared home, the guilt too overwhelming. Because how could he betray Fleur like that? How could he fall in love with someone else? He had made a promise, a vow, to love her forever, and he couldn’t help but feel like he was breaking it.</p><p>But every time he had gone out to look for a place to live, it had made him feel sick to his stomach. And he couldn’t get his stomach to settle down, not until he would come home to Remus and Teddy.</p><p>He had finally told his mother about it, and as soon as the words had left his mouth, she had hit him over the head. Not because she was upset that he had fallen in love with Remus, but because he had felt guilty for it. After all, what was he meant to do? Spend the rest of his life, hiding away. Grow lonely? Was that what Fleur would want for him?</p><p>His mother’s words had made him able to let go of the guilt, but still he hadn’t been brave enough to tell Remus that he loved him. That he no longer regretted the kiss they had shared, that he was ready for them to be more than friends. Because what if it had been too long, and Remus had already moved on?</p><p>But when Remus had kissed his cheek the other day, his lips lingering for just a second too long, he had realised that it was now or never. He could either tell him now, or keep quiet and risk losing him forever.</p><p>“What’s this?” Remus asks, when Bill hands him a small present. “I thought we weren’t opening presents until tomorrow morning?”</p><p>“I know, but this… it’s probably stupid, but…,” Bill says, taking a deep breath to try and steady his nerves. “Do you remember last year, when you told me about the candles?”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>“I just wanted to… you know… it’s not that, and I don’t even know where you got those,” Bill rambles, feeling like a nervous teenager as Remus keeps staring at him. “It’s a candle,” he then blurts out, making Remus chuckle.</p><p>“Oh.”</p><p>Remus carefully opens it, and when he finds the glass jar, with the crisp white candle in it, he opens it, breathing in deeply as the smell of candy cane fills his nose.</p><p>“Is it insensitive?” Bill asks. “Because you said…”</p><p>“Insensitive?” Remus asks. “No! It’s…” He sighs, as he reaches out for Bill’s hand. “It reminds me of Dora, but I’m glad it does. I want to remember her, as you remember Fleur.”</p><p>Bill gives a small nod, not sure if Remus has understood what he had meant with his present. Not sure if he would have understood it himself. He had been so sure that this was the right time to tell him, but when he sees Remus staring down at the candle, he almost considers not telling him at all. But he can already picture what his mother would say, if he tells her that he had gotten too nervous. So he takes another deep breath, before blurting out the words on his mind.</p><p>“I’m in love with you, and I think I’m ready for this to be… more.”</p><p>“More?” Remus chuckles, but by the blush on his face, Bill can tell that he knows what he is trying to say. “Are you sure?”</p><p>“I think so. Not the being in love part. I’m pretty sure about that,” he answers nervously, making the smile on Remus’ face grow bigger. “I’m also pretty sure I want to kiss you.”</p><p>Remus gently places a hand on the side of Bill’s neck, before bringing their mouths together. This kiss as safe, as familiar as the first. But this time Bill feels no guilt, and when Remus breaks away from him, all he wants to do is pull him back in.</p><p>“Do you really like the candle?”</p><p>“Yes,” Remus laughs, his hand still on Bill’s neck, his thumb gently caressing his jaw. “Want to light it? Maybe have some wine…?”</p><p>“Are you trying to seduce me here?” Bill teases, the smile on Remus’ face only growing bigger.</p><p>“Is it working?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>http://samunderthelights.tumblr.com/</p></blockquote></div></div>
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